The Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with United States Attorney Pamela Marsh, the North Florida Domestic Security Task Force and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, are holding the North Florida Rural County Summit July 9th and 10th at the Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy that will focus on school safety.

• Dale County, Alabama Sheriff Wally Olson will outline the school hostage incident that happened in January in his community.

• Newtown Police Department Lt. Christopher Vanghelle will speak on his department’s response to the school shootings in his community.

Other speakers include Dale County Associate Superintendent Lamar Brooks, FBI Special Agent Steven Richardson, and Leon County School Safety and Security Director John Hunkiar.

U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh and Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young will discuss the importance of this Summit.

Dr. Nancy Blackwelder, who was an assistant principal at Pinellas Park High School on February 11, 1988 before Columbine, when that school erupted in violence that left one dead and two wounded (including her) discusses school safety 25 years after her incident.

Sessions will deal with the Sandy Hook Elementary School Response, Preparing for Mass Casuality Incidents, Establishing Student Situation Resolution Teams, Anatomy of a School Hostage Incident, Active Shooter Best Practice, and Resources Available to Secure Schools.

According to GCSO Captain Jim Corder, there are about 20 local law enforcement and school organizations expected to participate.

The importance of the summit, Corder said, is to understand how smaller rural communities have dealt with tragedies.

“We are very lucky to have these people coming to the summit,” Corder said,

“This is a great opportunity for us to learn about how rural communities have dealt with these crisis,” GCSO Major Shawn Wood said of the summit. “This is a great opportunity to build bridges between schools and law enforcement.”

Because of the security information presented in these sessions, Wood explained, the summit is closed to the media and public.